In this year’s look back at the year that was in Davidson, we’ve taken a cue from readers in compiling our list of the year’s top stories. In 2009, the most-read stories on DavidsonNews.net ranged from Davidson College basketball player Stephen Curry’s decision to go pro and the death of former Wildcats’ star Mike Maloy to the Hough High name controversy and the October fire that destroyed a home in River Run. Meanwhile, the town added a bit of culture – a new movie theater and a public art sculpture. The past year brought mailboxes to the McConnell neighborhood and changes downtown. And the community came to the rescue of the financially-troubled Davidson Cornelius Day Care, one of the only area day cares to take children regardless of their ability to pay. We’ve also tossed in a few staff picks for big stories as well. Read on for our list.

Read the full story

William A. Hough High now has a new athletic director.  Principal Terri Cockerham has hired Masanori Taguchi away from his current job as AD for West Charlotte High. Read the full story in Sports, www.davidsonnews.net/sports.

William A. Hough High is now officially the Home of the Huskies!

The new high school on Bailey Road, set to open in August, let the public vote on three mascot possibilities and announced the results Friday morning.

“We had close to 400 people respond and 52 percent were for the Huskies,” said Principal Terri Cockerham via e-mail. She added that 40 percent voted for the Wolves and eight percent for the Hornets.

The school’s new colors are Read the full story

Retired North Meck principal remembers W.A. Hough, outlines concerns over new North Meck boundaries

Jimmy Poole at Summit Coffee in November.

To the editor:

Several people asked me why my name wasn’t considered for the new high school on Bailey Road I told them that first of all, I am still alive, and second, someone would probably find a way to make fun of my name. Read the full story

To the editor:
I want to thank reporter Laurie Dennis and your paper for what I feel has been fair and accurate coverage of the naming of the new William A. Hough High School. I think you and your paper represented the thoughts of all: those for the name and those opposed to the name, those who thought the process was flawed, those who did not. Your writing presented the thoughts and concerns of both sides of the issue. Believe me when I say that much of what you and other reporters of your paper wrote was most difficult to read, but all Read the full story

Will the mascot for William A. Hough High be the Huskies, the Hornets or the Wolves?  Those are the three choices offered for a public vote on the school’s new website.

The website was updated to include both mascot and colors options the day after the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education upheld its decision to keep the Hough name for the new high school under construction on Bailey Road, set to open in August.  (See our related coverage, “Hough name stays put on new high school“.) Read the full story